Good docu-drama on the D-Day invasion

Rating: 6/10 (14 August 2002)

The story of D-Day presented in a quasi documentary style. This is a meat and potatoes serving that lays out the battle plans and shows them being executed, but without intense drama of a top rate war movie. It works for me as a docu-drama more than anything else. But as far as action and really capturing the atmosphere of the invasion, I think it falls short. It had the feel of a civil war re-enactment rather than an intense battle. I'm not saying we need gratuitous gore, but to really show the battle, we need to see guys wrenching in agony and more bodies on the beach. We are given the impression that the invasion was not a messy affair. I think this does a disservice to the people who were there. Now the good things. The movie pays quite a bit of attention to historical detail, from the German commanders who were at odds with the furher to the French resistance and even the 'crickets' the airborne troops carried. One more thing I didn't like is there is a slight bit of comic tone thrown in here and there. I think this detracts from the serious theme of the movie. This is a very good movie, but like a supermodel who has a few blemishes, is not perfect.